Bristle sieving machine



April 11, 1961 J. HOVORKA BRISTLE SIEVING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 17, 1959 INVENTOR. LHR' HOVQR KA BY W 441 7 1 I ATTORNEY April 11, 1961 J. HOVORKA BRISTLE SIEVING MACHINE Filed April 17, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 IN VEN TOR.

J l RI HOVO R KA BY M ATTQRNEY R55 q g I I I 4 w A ril 11, 1961 J. HOVORKA BRISTLE SIEVING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 17, 1959 INVENTOR.

JIF?! HOVORKA BY M M ATTORNEY April 1961 J. HOVORKA 2,979,362

BRISTLE SIEVING MACHINE Filed April 1'7, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. d l Rt HOVO R KA Y B M ATTO RNE Y April 11, 1961 J. HOVORKA BRISTLE SIEVING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 17, 1959 INVENTOR. d! RI HOVORKA BY M f I ATTORNEY United States Patent BRISTLE SIEVING MACHINE Jiri Hovorka, Maplewood,*NJ., assignor to Hanlon and Goodman Company, Belleville, NJ., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 17,1959, Ser. No. 807,180 a m rllt t s me 'f This invention relates particularly to the preparation of bristles for the manufacture of brushes, especially paint brushes. As is well known in the art, the end of an animal bristle or hair that is rooted in the skin or hide of the animal is ball-like and substantially larger in diameter than the main portion of the bristle, while the other end of the bristle is tapered and bifurcated, and the first-mentioned end is called the butt end while the second-men tioned end is known as the flag end.

' When it is desired to make a brush, the bristles are arranged in groups or bunches with the butt ends of the bristles at one end of the bunch and with the flag ends of the bristles at the other end of the bunch; and inasmuch as the bristles come from thesupplier in a mixed condition with the butt ends of some of the bristles juxtaposed to the flag ends of the other bristles, it .has been a common but slow, costly and inefficient practice in the art for an operator to grasp a bunch of the bristles and press the ends of the bunch against a rotating screen or sieve in the interstices of which the butt ends of the bristles are caught so that the corresponding bristles are withdrawn from the bunch. This insures that the butts of all of the bristles shall be located at one end of the bunch while the flags of all of the bristles shall be positioned at the other end of the bunch. When the brush is made, the butt ends of the bristles are set in the ferrule of the brush, and the flag ends or tip ends are used for applying a coating composition such as paint.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a machine for automatically performing this sieving operation rapid-1y and much more efficiently and thoroughly than has been possible heretofore. I

Another object of the invention is to provide such a machine wherein a plurality of pins spaced apart distances less than the diameter of the butt end of a bristle shall be forced endwise through one end of a bunch layer or mat of bristles so that the butt ends shall become caught between the pins, and the corresponding bristles thus pulled from the bunch, thereby insuring that only the tip or flag ends of bristles shall be disposed at said end of the bunch or layer.

A further object is to provide such a machine which shall include endless conveyor belts between which an elongated layer or mat of bristles shall be firmly resiliently held with the ends of the bristles at one longitudinal edge of the layer exposed, in combination with at least one set of pins and means for moving the pins endwise through the layer at said exposed ends of the bristles whereby the butt ends of the bristles shall become caught between the pins and the corresponding bristles shall be pulled from the layer.

Still another object is to provide a machine of this character which shall include novel and improved means for agitating, separating, and rolling the bristles in said elongated layer while said pins are being forced through the bunch, thereby to facilitate the withdrawal of the bristles by the pins.

It is a further object of the invention to provide in Patented Apr. 11, 1961 2 combination with bristle-removing pins as described, novel and improved means for automatically stripping or ejecting the bristles from between the pins.

Other objects, advantages and results of the invention will be brought out by the following description in con junction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine embodying the invention;

I Figure 2 is. an elevation of one end thereof;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the machine on the planev of the line ,3 ofFigure 2 with portions broken away for clearness in'illustration;

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view approximately on the plane of the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is fragmentary lon gitudinal sectionalviewap proximately on the plane of the line 5--5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary elevation of portions of the bristle conveyors and-the bristle agitating means;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary transverse sectional View on the plane of the line 7 -7 of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a similar view on the plane of the line 8-8 of Figure 5; t

Figure 9 is an enlarged top plan view of one'of the sets 11 showing the manner in which the butt ends of the bristles are gripped between the bristle-removing pins;-

Figure 13 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of portions of the bristle-removing pins and the stripper with portions of the stripper broken away and shown in section; and Figure 14 is an enlarged elevational view approximately on the plane of the line 14-14 of Figure 11.

Specifically describing the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the machine includes a main frame A and a super frame B mounted on the main frame. On the main frame is mounted an endless conveyor that includes a plurality of resilient belts I mounted to run on pulleys 2 and 3 carried by the respective shafts 4 and 5 that are journaled on the frame with their axes slightly tilted from the horizontal as best shown in Figure 2 so that an elongated layer or mat C of bristles on the conveyor will be gravitationally urged endwise toward the lower side of the conveyor so as to cause abutment of the ends of the bristles with guide rails 7, whereby to line-up the ends of all the bristles at the corresponding longitudinal edge of the mat or layer. The upper reaches of the belts are supported by a bed plate D. Mounted on the super frame is an auxiliary conveyor that comprises a carrier belt 6 on which are mounted a plurality of resilient belts 6a that are spaced from the belts 1 a distance approximately equal to the thickness of the mat or layer C of bristles (Figure 11), said belts being mounted to run on pulleys 8 and 9 which are journaled on shafts 10 and ll in the super frame. Preferably, one of the shafts, in the present instance the shaft 11, is mounted in adjustable bearings 12 connected by a rod 12a and normally biased by a spring 12b toyieldingly maintain thebelts taut.

The lower reaches of the auxiliary belts 6a are normally yieldingly pressed toward the upper reaches of the main belts 1 to grip the layer or mat of bristles between the two conveyors, and as shown, a presser plate 13 engages the upper side of the lower reaches of the belts 6,

6a (Figures 4 and 6) and is carried by a rod 14 which, in turn, is mounted in a block 15 that is slidably mounted in the super frame and is normally influenced in one direction by a piston 16 which is reciprocable in a cylinder 17 that is rigidly mounted on the top of the super frame and has fluid pressure supplied to one end thereof above the piston 16 from any suitable source by a hose 18.

The two conveyors may be driven in any suitable manner, but preferably at a slightly different linear speed so as to cause a rolling action of the bristles of the mat C. As shown, the main conveyor is driven by an electric motor 19 which through a suitable speed-reducing gear 20 drives a counter shaft 21 on which is a pinion 22 that meshes with a gear 23-on the shaft 40f the main conveyor, whereby the main conveyor belts 1 are driven in the direction of the arrow of Figure 1, it being understood that there are suitable belt tightening idler rollers 24 engaged by the lower reaches of the belts to maintain the belts in taut condition.

The auxiliary conveyor is driven from the shaft 4 that has a sprocket 25 over which passes a sprocket chain 26 which drives a sprocket 27 on a jack shaft 28 on which is a gear 29 that meshes with an idler gear 30 on the super frame which, in turn, meshes with a gear 31 on the shaft 10 of the auxiliary conveyor. With this construction, the auxiliary conveyor belts are driven in the same direction as the main conveyor belts but at a slightly higher linear speed.

Justaposed'to one longitudinal edge of the upper reach of the conveyor belt and mounted on the bed plate D is a bristle agitator E which has a thin upstanding platelike portion 32, the upper edge of which is undulated or has alternate rounded projections 33 and recesses 34 that resemble rounded corrugations (Figures 6 and 11). The agitator extends longitudinally of the conveyors throughout the major portion of the length of the lower reaches of the auxiliary conveyor belts 6 as best shown in Figure 6, and in operation of the machine, the projecting free end portion of the bristles C are tilted and separated as best shown in Figure 14 so as to expose the butt ends C" to bristle-removing pins 36 of a bristle-removing mechanism F as best shown in Figures 11 and 12.

One or more sets of the bristle-removing pins 36 are utilized, and the pins of the set are spaced apart distances less than the diameters of the butt ends C" of the bristles but greater than the diameters of the main portions and the flag ends C' as best shown in Figure 12 so that the main portions and flag ends of the bristles may freely pass between the pins while the butt ends of the bristles will be caught between the pins so that the bristles will be pulled out of the mat or layer as shown at X in Figure 11.

Three sets of the pins are shown mounted on a rotating carrier 37 that is fixedly mounted on a stub shaft 38 by a pin 38' and a cap screw 38", said shaft being journaled in bearings 40 in bracket plates 39 secured on and projecting laterally from the rear side of the main frame A (Figures 3 and 5). The pins of each set are rigidly mounted in a mounting block 41 that is separably secured as by cap screws 42 to a base block 43 which, in turn, is removably secured to the carrier 37 by cap screws 44. The base blocks and mounting blocks are arranged on the carrier in slightly oblique relation to the axis of rotation of the carrier and are inclined in different directions so that the pins of each set will enter the bristle mat C at ditferent angles to more effectually pick up the butt ends of the bristles. The sets of bristles are preferably spaced equidistantly circumferentially of the carrier and equidistantly from the axis of the carrier so that upon rotation of the carrier in the direction of the arrow in Figure 2, the sets of pins will pass through the bristle mat in rapid succession.

The carrier may be driven in any suitable manner but is shown as driven from an electric motor G through a speed-reducing gear. H, the output shaft of, which has a a. chain and sprocket connection I with the shaft 38 of the carrier 37.

It is desirable that means he provided to insure dislodgement of the bristles from the bristle-removing pins, and for this purpose, a stripper mechanism is shown and includes a head bar 45 for each set of pins which is mounted on the end of a piston 46 that is reciprocable in a cylinder 47 in the corresponding base block 43 and is influenced by a spring 48 in one direction to its normal position at the inner ends of the pins adjacent the mounting block 42. The spring is shown as interposed between one end of the piston and a pin 49 mounted in the base block and extending through slots 50 in the piston. The stripper head has a plurality of fingers 51, each disposed between two pins as best shown in Figures 9, 10 and 13 for pushing the bristles out of the spaces between the bristle-removing pins when the stripper head is moved in the other direction, that is, toward the outer free ends of the pins as shown in dot and dash lines in Figure 10. For moving the piston and stripper head in this direction, the inner end of each cylinder 47 is connected by a radial duct 52 in the carrier, which, in turn, is connected to a duct 53 which, immediately after the pins have pulled out bristles from the mat, registers with a compressed air inlet port 54 in a fixed valve sleeve 55 surrounding the shaft 38 to which compressed air is applied from a suitable source by a pipe 56. When the duct 53 communicates with the inlet port 54, the piston 46 is actuated outwardly of the cylinder so as to push the stripper head along the pins so as to eject the bristles from between the pins as shown in dot and dash lines in Figure 9. This position is designated Y in Figures 2 and 4. The compressed air is exhausted from the cylinder upon communication of the duct 53 with an outlet port 57 in the valve sleeve, (Figures 5 and 7).

The ejected bristles may be deposited in any suitable receptacle, but preferably are dropped onto an endless belt conveyor K that leads either to a receptacle or to a suction apparatus for collecting the bristles which then can be placed in other mats for subsequent use. As shown, the conveyor K comprises a belt 60 mounted on pulleys 61 that are journaled in suitable brackets 62 on the main frame, and one of the pulleys has a chain and sprocket connection 63 with the shaft 5 of the main conveyor pulley (Figures 2 and 3), and if desired, the other roller may be driven by a chain and sprocket connection 64 between the two rollers.

Preferably, as shown, the pins 36 of each set are disposed in a common plane that is approximately parallel to the axis of the carrier 37 that is, in turn, approximately parallel with the direction of movement of the belts and the mat of bristles, each set of pins being also approximately tangential to the carrier. With this construction, it will be observed that the elongated layer or mat of bristles is continuously moved with respect to the sets of pointed bristle-removing pins with the ends of the bristles at one longitudinal edge of the mat freely exposed so that the pins are moved endwise with their pointed ends leading between said exposed ends of the bristles, and the bristles whose butt ends are exposed are caught between the pins and withdrawn from the mat while the other bristles Whose flag ends are exposed freely pass between the pins and remain in the mat. The auxiliary conveyor preferably has a linear speed about fifty percent greater than the speed of the main conveyor so that the bristles are rolled and their relative positions are constantly changed While the bristles are moving past the bustle-removing pins; and in addition to the rolling of the bristles, the exposed ends of the bristles are fanned out or separated by the agitator E so that the pins may more easily pass through the mat bristles and may more efiiciently pick up the bristles having their butt ends exposed. As each set of pins is moved by the carrier downwardly away from the mat, the stripper is actuated by the piston 46 to push thebristles from between the pins, after which the stripper is returned to its normal position by the spring 48 so that the free ends of the pins are ready for the next bristle-removing pass through the mat.

It will be observed that the machine may be used to a limited extent for grading the bristles, that is, the bristleremoving pins will pull out of the mat those bristles of such diameter as to wedge between the pins, while bristles of smaller diameter will be left in the mat.

It will be understood that while the now preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, the structural details of the machine may be widely modified and changed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

Iclaim:

1. The method of sieving bristles consisting in holding a plurality of bristles with the butt ends of some bristles and the flag ends of other bristles haphazardly disposed in close side-by-side relation so that the bristles can be individually pulled from the bunch without disturbing the other bristles, and moving between said ends of the bristles from a point intermediate the length of the bristles to a point beyond said ends at least two parallel pins spaced apart a distance less than the diameter of the butt ends and greater than the diameter of the por tions of the bristles intermediate their ends, to thereby catch the butt ends of the bristles between said pins and separate the corresponding bristles from the other bristles.

2. In a method of preparing a bunch of bristles for incorporation into a brush, the step consisting of forcing endwise through said bunch a plurality of parallel pins that are spaced apart distances less than the diameters of the butt ends of the bristles and greater than the diameter of the portions of the bristles intermediate their ends, and laterally moving the pins along the bristles from a point intermediate the length of the bristles to a point beyond one end of the bunch, to thereby catch the butt ends of the bristles between said pins and separate the corresponding bristles from the other bristles.

3. A bristle sieving machine comprising means for holding a mat of bristles with the butt ends of some bristles and the flag ends of other bristles haphazardly disposed in close side-by-side relation at one edge of the mat, a plurality of pins free at one end disposed in parallel relation and spaced apart in a direction approximately parallel to said edge of the mat distances less than the diameters of the butt ends of the bristles and greater than the diameter of portions of the bristles intermediate their ends, and means for forcing said pins endwise with their free ends leading through said mat between said ends of the bristles at a point intermediate the length of the bristles and moving thepins laterally of themselves and longitudinally of the bristles from said point to a point beyond said edge of the mat, providing for catching of the butt ends of the bristles between said pins and the separation of the corresponding bristles from the mat.

4. A machine as defined in claim 3 wherein the lastnamed means includes a carrier for said pins that is rotatably mounted in juxtaposed relation to said means for holding the mat of bristles.

5. A machine as defined in claim 3 wherein the firstmentioned means includes an endless main belt and an auxiliary endless belt spaced apart to releasably grip the bristle mat between them, and means for moving said belts longitudinally continuously past said pins.

6. The machine as defined in claim 5 wherein the lastnamed means moves one of said belts at a greater linear speed than the other belt to roll the bristles in said mat.

7. A machine as defined in claim 3 wherein the firstmentioned means includes an endless main belt and an auxiliary endless belt spaced apart to releasably grip the bristle mat between them, and means for moving said belts longitudinally continuously past said pins, and

with the addition of a bristle agitator adjacent the edge of the main belt and the point where said pins pass through the bristles and into contact with which said ends of the bristles are moved providing for spreading apart of said ends of the bristles.

8. A machine as defined in claim 3 wherein the firstmentioned means includes an endless main belt and an auxiliary endless belt spaced apart to releasably grip the bristle mat between them, and means for moving said belts longitudinally continuously past said pins, and with the addition of a bristle agitator adjacent the edge of the main belt and the point where said pins pass through the bristles and into contact with which said ends of the bristles are moved providing for spreading apart of said ends of the bristles, said agitator comprising an upstanding plate-like device angularly disposed with respect to the planes of said belts and having an undulated upper edge over which the bristles are moved by the belts.

9. A machine as defined in claim 3 with the addition of a stripper mechanism for pushing said bristles from between said pins.

10. A machine as defined in claim 3 wherein the firstmentioned means includes an endless main belt and an auxiliary endless belt spaced apart to releasably grip the bristle mat between them, and means for moving said belts longitudinally continuously past said pins, and wherein the pin forcing and moving means includes a carrier for said pins rotatably mounted on an axis parallel to said belts, and said pins are arranged in a common plane that is approximately tangential to said carrier.

11. A machine as defined in claim 3 wherein the firstmentioned means includes an endless main belt and an auxiliary endless belt spaced apart to releasably grip the bristle mat between them, and means for moving said belts longitudinally continuously past said pins and wherein the pin forcing and moving means includes a carrier for said pins rotatably mounted on an axis parallel to said belts, and there are a plurality of sets of pins spaced equidistantly circumferentially of the carrier and the pins of each set are disposed in a common plane that is approximately tangential to said carrier.

12. A machine as defined in claim 3 wherein the firstmentioned means includes an endless main belt and an auxiliary endless belt spaced apart to releasably grip the bristle mat between them, and means for moving said belts longitudinally continuously past said pins, and wherein the pin forcing and moving means includes a carrier for said pins rotatably mounted on an axis parallel to said belts, and said pins are arrangedin a common plane that is approximately tangential to said carrier, and with the addition of a stripper mechanism for said pins including a stripper head reciprocable longitudinally of the pins and having fingers each between two adjacent pins for pushing the bristles out of the spaces between said pins, and means for reciprocating said stripper head in timed relation to the rotation of said carrier.

13. A machine as defined in claim 3 wherein the lastnamed means includes a carrier for said pins that is rotatably mounted in juxtaposed relation to said means for holding the mat of bristles, and there are a plurality of sets of pins spaced equidistantly circumferentially of the carrier and the pins of each set are disposed in a common plane that is approximately tangential to said carrier.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,273,750 Drew July 23, 1918 2,356,121 Cave et a1 Aug. 15, 1944 2,658,801 Goldberger Nov. 10, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 673,523 France Oct. 8, 1929 

